Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c25.s6.11

v1.c25.s6.11

The Veṇā seems to refer to Wairagadh situated on the Wainganga around which diamonds are found in lateritic grits. Wairagadh appears to have been famous for its diamonds and was consequently known as Vajrākara or Vajragṛha. (Shastri, 1969: 325) This area of Vidarbha was probably referred to as Sabhārāṣṭra in the Arthaśāstra. Bauer (1968: 150) mentioned the remains of ‘very ancient’ mines, eighty miles south-east of Nagpur on the Sath river, a tributary of the Wainganga. The mines were ‘formerly rich’ yielding diamonds of the ‘purest kind’ according to the Bṛhat Saṃhitā (BS).